Take action against Fortis: Govt to depts

Statesman News Service | Chandigarh | January 1, 2018 10:47 pm

Fortis

After cancelling the licences of blood bank and pharmacy of Gurugram’s Fortis Medical and Research Institute (FMRI) for various irregularities; the Haryana government has sent reminders to various other departments to act as per their respective jurisdiction against the hospital. The hospital was charged by a government committee with negligence, lapses, unethical, unlawful act and causing death of a seven-year-old girl by negligence in November 2017.

While speaking to reporters, Haryana health minister Anil Vij said, “The government panel during its probe at Fortis hospital had found a total 29 irregularities concerning to the pharmacy and blood bank of the hospital. Taking contingence, the Health Department has done its job by cancelling the licences for both. Moreover, reminders have been sent to various other departments for action against the hospital for violating various norms under their respective jurisdiction.”

“These departments are Police, Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), and the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Like Health Department, these department should have acted against the hospital so far. Moreover, I have asked for status reports from various departments on the issue and the complied report, I will submit to the CM putting it into his knowledge. I will also put into his knowledge that the police department has not arrested any person so far into the matter,” Vij said.

A seven-year-old girl Adhya Singh had died of dengue on 14 November, 2016. Following the allegation of overcharging and negligence on behalf of the said hospital, the Haryana government constituted a three-member committee under the chairmanship of Additional Director General (Health) Dr Rajiv Vadehra to investigate the matter and submit its report.

The committee in its reported indicted the hospital of “causing death by negligence”. It has also found the Fortis hospital guilty of overcharging for the medical diagnosis and violating various prescribed norms during the treatment of the girl. Terming the death by negligence as murder, Vij had asked for lodging FIR against the hospital while the state government also decided approach the Medical Council of India (MCI) recommending stern action against Fortis.

As the Committee had also been found that the hospital was violating the norms fixed by the government regarding the treatment of economic weaker sections (EWSs), the HUDA was asked to act against the hospital.